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10 November 2021
District Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Killing Woman in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven M. Robinson, 30, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for fatally shooting his girlfriend at point-blank range at her apartment in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Robinson pleaded guilty in June 2021, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree murder while armed. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a sentence of 10 to 12 years in prison. The Honorable Neal E. Kravitz accepted the plea on Nov. 9, 2021, and sentenced Robinson accordingly. Following his prison term, Robinson will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Robinson was in a romantic relationship with the victim, Shanika Williams. In the early morning hours of July 12, 2020, Robinson was at Ms. Williams’s apartment in the 800 block of 19th Street NE; at the time, she was alone with her three children. While inside, he quarreled with Ms. Williams, and at one point, got his gun and shot her at close range. After shooting her, he fled, leaving Ms. Williams on the floor of her apartment. The Metropolitan Police Department responded at approximately 4 a.m., and Ms. Williams, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Robinson was arrested on Feb. 5, 2021 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Paralegal Specialist LaShone Samuels. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah C. Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing a Total of $1.6M in Unemployment Insurance Benefits from Nine StatesRead the Press Release
A Detroit man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and identity theft in a scheme to defraud nine states out of more than $1.6 million in unemployment insurance benefits, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.
Joining in the announcement was Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
Jordan Armstrong, 29, of Detroit, entered his guilty pleas this morning, via Zoom, before United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts.
According to court records, beginning on or about May 4, 2020 and continuing through at least October 21, 2020, Armstrong, with the intent to defraud, successfully submitted applications for unemployment insurance benefits on behalf of individuals in Michigan, California, Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New York, and Louisiana. Armstrong also unsuccessfully submitted claims in eight other states—in total filing more than 300 claims across 17 states and territories. Armstrong submitted these claims using these individuals’ Social Security Numbers and did so without their permission. Armstrong directed the benefits to be paid out via debit cards and then used these cards to repeatedly withdrawal the funds via ATMs throughout Metro Detroit.
As part of his guilty plea, Armstrong will be required to pay restitution to the victim-states in the total amount of $1,611,202.
Armstrong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment on the charge of wire fraud and a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 years imprisonment on the charge of identity theft.
Armstrong will be sentenced on March 22, 2022.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General with the assistance of the Birmingham Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Particka.
Defendants Charged in $4M Unemployment Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Two Michigan men have been charged via criminal complaint for their roles in a large-scale, multi-state Unemployment Insurance benefit fraud scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima S. Mohsin.
Joining in the announcement were Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge John R. Marengo, US Secret Service, Rodney Hopkins, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Detroit Division, Special Agent in Charge Sarah Kull, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Julia Dale, Director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency.
The complaint charges Jermaine Arnett, 34, of Pontiac, Michigan, and Terrance Calhoun, Jr., 32, also of Pontiac, Michigan, with aggravated identity theft, mail fraud, fraud using a false name and address, wire fraud, bank fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit each of those acts, as well as firearm crimes.
According to the complaint, Arnett, Calhoun Jr., and one or more other individuals are responsible for filing over 500 claims for fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits across the United States, including Michigan, using just a handful of Internet Protocol addresses and mailing addresses. As described by the complaint, those false claims resulted in numerous debit cards loaded with unemployment insurance funds being mailed to addresses that Arnett, Calhoun Jr., and others controlled. The complaint alleges that Arnett, Calhoun Jr., and other individuals then systematically unloaded the funds from the cards by making large cash withdrawals at ATMs.
According to the complaint, between April and July 2020 those false claims resulted in multiple states collectively issuing more than $4 million in unemployment insurance benefits. The complaint alleges that, although a portion of the funds were electronically reclaimed before being unloaded, more than $1.7 million dollars in purchases and cash withdrawals were successfully made from the cards over a 2½ month period, and the majority of those cash withdrawals took place at ATMs located in Troy, Bloomfield Hills, and Rochester Hills, Michigan. As further described within the complaint, agents utilized ATM surveillance photos to identify Arnett and Calhoun Jr. as two of the individuals who made large cash withdrawals from ATMs using debit cards loaded with unemployment benefits issued in the names of other individuals. As also described within the complaint, when agents executed search warrants at three principal mailing addresses used for the fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims, including the residences of Arnett and Calhoun Jr., agents found and seized multiple debit cards in the names of numerous other individuals, distinctive clothing worn in ATM surveillance photos, firearms, and numerous documents containing the personal identification information of other individuals.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.
This investigation is being conducted jointly by agents from the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, the United States Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations Division, the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General, and the State of Michigan -Unemployment Insurance Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carl D. Gilmer-Hill.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Corvallis ex-lawyer sentenced to prison for defrauding investors in real estate investment scheme, evading income taxesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA –A former lawyer who admitted to defrauding investors and to evading income taxes in a real estate investment scheme in which he lost more than $1 million in the futures market was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said.
Ronald Dean Lords, 53, of Corvallis, pleaded guilty in July to wire fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine restitution at a later date. Lords was ordered to self-report to prison.
“Lords used his attorney-client relationship to gain access to victims’ money and then abused their trust to gamble away their money in the futures market. Lords also tried to cheat on his income taxes by failing to declare investors’ money as income. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to catch and convict white collar criminals, hold them accountable and seek justice for victims,” Acting U.S. Attorney Johnson said.
“IRS-CI will continue to identify and investigate those such as Lords, who abuse their position to victimize their clients and violate the public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Andy Tsui of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s Denver Field Office. “Those in positions of trust must be held to a higher standard and today's sentencing is a step in the right direction holding those who violate the law accountable for their actions.”
The government alleged in court documents that Lords was a lawyer, who operated Eagles Landing Legal Services, PC, and a licensed realtor and general contractor, who operated Eagles Landing Construction, Inc. The construction company purported to develop real property and build homes. From 2011 to 2018, Lords defrauded 14 victims by convincing them to invest money in his construction company. Lords told the victims he would use the money to build homes, make monthly interest payments and repay the money after the homes were sold. Lords also said he would return the victims’ money within 30 days of any request. Instead of using the money to fund construction projects, Lords used some of the new money to make interest payments to prior investors and lost the majority of the funds in the futures market. When some victims demanded their principal back, Lords admitted he lost more than $1 million in the futures market and did not have their money.
The government further alleged that Lords failed to declare $432,608 he received from several victims in 2015 as “other income” on his taxes, resulting in unpaid taxes of $152,734 for that year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Racicot prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
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Chicago Man Charged with Three Counts of Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND- Keith Kelly, 49, of Chicago, Illinois was indicted on three counts of bank robbery, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.
According to the charging documents, Kelly is alleged to have robbed the same South Bend, Indiana bank three times over an approximate two-month period: August 23, September 10, and October 25 of 2021. As Kelly tried to get away from the final robbery, he was caught with the stolen cash from that robbery.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly L. Schultz.
An indictment is merely an allegation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Charlotte Man Is Sentenced to More Than Nine Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Louie Raymond Forney, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced on Monday, November 8, 2021, to 118 months in prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and for violating the terms of his supervised release, announced William T. Stetzer, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. also ordered Forney to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his prison term.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and the sentencing hearing, on June 26, 2020, CMPD officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle Forney was driving. Forney did not comply and instead attempted to evade the police by driving at high speed. Over the course of the pursuit, law enforcement observed Forney throwing a backpack out of the vehicle. A short while later, Forney stopped the vehicle and was subsequently arrested by CMPD officers while he attempted to flee on foot. Court records show that law enforcement recovered Forney’s backpack, which contained a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, and an assault rifle loaded with a high-capacity magazine. Court records also show that Forney was on federal supervised release for a previous federal firearms conviction when he committed the new offenses.
On June 10, 2021, Forney pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody, and upon designation of a federal facility, he will be transferred into custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons.
ATF and CMPD investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Cameroonian Citizen Extradited from Romania Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud Online Purchasers of PetsRead the Press Release
A citizen of Cameroon pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a scheme to trick American consumers into paying fees for pets that were never delivered and for using the COVID-19 crisis as an excuse to extract higher fees from victims.
According to court documents and proceedings, from around June 2018 to around June 2020, Desmond Fodje Bobga, 28, of Cameroon, knowingly conspired with others to offer pets for sale on internet websites. He and others communicated by text message and email with potential victims to induce purchases. Following each purchase, Bobga and co-conspirators claimed that a transportation company would deliver the pet and provided a false tracking number for the pet. Bobga and his co-conspirators, posing as the transportation company, then claimed the pet transport was delayed and that the victim needed to pay additional money for delivery of the pet.
Bobga and co-conspirators told some victims that they needed to pay more money for delivery because the pet had been exposed to the coronavirus. The perpetrators used false promises and fake documents regarding shipping fees and coronavirus exposure to extract successive payments from victims. After Bobga and the co-conspirators received money directly and indirectly through wire communications from the victims, they never delivered any pets.
“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting fraud schemes that take advantage of American consumers, including schemes that seek to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and to the FBI for their partnership on this matter, and we greatly appreciate the efforts of Romanian law enforcement.”
“Desmond Fodje Bobga exploited consumers who were seeking the companionship of a pet to alleviate the isolation and stress caused by the COVID pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Today he acknowledged his deceitful and unlawful acts, and we will seek a sentence commensurate with the harm he caused by his criminal conduct.”
“Mr. Bobga preyed on American citizens looking for comfort from a pet during the COVID pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall of FBI Pittsburgh. “His admission of guilt today will give his victims some solace in knowing someone is being held accountable. This investigation should also be a reminder to everyone to be careful who they’re buying from on the internet.”
The criminal charges detail the dealings of Bobga and his co-conspirators with victims in western Pennsylvania and elsewhere. For example:
- One victim, of New Brighton, Pennsylvania, was seeking to purchase a mini-dachshund for her mother in mid-March of 2020. Victim 1 was induced to pay $9,100 due to false claims that the pet was being shipped, needed insurance, and was exposed to COVID-19;
- Another victim, of Fruitland, Iowa, was seeking to purchase a mini-dachshund for herself in mid-March of 2020. False claims induced Victim 2 to lose $1,840; and
- A couple in Dallas, Texas, was seeking to purchase a dog. The victims were induced to make successive payments based on false claims about transportation issues and other matters and lost $1,800.
The criminal charges include a reference to a website, lovelyhappypuppy.com, to which Bobga directed numerous victims to view pets that he fraudulently claimed to sell:
Bobga pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8, 2022 and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Cook of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Wei Xiang of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance. Law enforcement authorities in Romania, including the Romanian National Police, Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and the Cluj Brigade for Combating Organized Crime, provided significant cooperation.
If you believe you are a victim in this case and would like to opt-in to receive notifications or if you have any questions about your rights, please contact the Victim Witness Coordinator at 412-894-7400 or through our website (https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/webform/contact-victim-witness-coordinator).
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
California Parent Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California parent was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a tax offense in connection with his involvement in the college admissions case.
Homayoun Zadeh, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six weeks in prison, one year of supervised release with 250 hours of community service, restitution of $8,414 and a fine of $20,000. On July 9, 2021, Zadeh pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
Zadeh agreed with William “Rick” Singer to pay $100,000 to facilitate the admission of Zadeh’s daughter to the University of Southern California (USC). Zadeh made installment payments toward that total to Singer’s purported charitable foundation, the Key Worldwide Foundation, and deducted the payments from his taxes as a purported gift to charity, despite knowing that they were not legitimate charitable contributions, but were made in exchange for facilitating his daughter’s admission to USC.
Singer has previously pleaded guilty to his role in the college admissions scheme.
Zadeh is the 28th parent to be sentenced in the case.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, is available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright and Stephen E. Frank of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
California Man Admits Possessing with Intent to Distribute Approximately One Kilogram of FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A San Bernardino County, California, man today admitted to possessing with intent to distribute approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Jesus Candido Higuera-Parra, 26, of Ontario, California, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 24, 2021, Higuera-Parra agreed with others to transport approximately one kilogram of fentanyl to a location in Union County, New Jersey. When Higuera-Parra arrived to meet the purchaser, he was arrested, and the fentanyl was recovered from the vehicle that he occupied.
The offense to which Higuera-Parra pleaded guilty carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a fine of $10 million. Sentencing is scheduled for March 23, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Susan A. Gibson in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray A. Mateo of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Jason F. Orlando Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey
Cabarrus County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO – A North Carolina man was sentenced on November 10, 2021, to 480 months in prison for production and possession of child pornography.
Jeremy Nicholas Mynes, 31, was indicted in October, 2020, on two counts of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. He later pleaded guilty to one count of both production and possession on March 2, 2021.
In July of 2020, Dropbox, Inc. made a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline that child pornography images were uploaded to a Dropbox account. Images uploaded to the account included minors engaged in sexual acts. Detective Jamieson of the Concord Police Department determined that the Dropbox account and the internet protocol (IP) address associated with the uploads were associated with Mynes at his Concord address.
In July of 2020, members of the Concord Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) obtained and executed a search warrant for Mynes’ home. Several devices seized during the search contained child pornography. The child pornography depicted the sexual exploitation and abuse of minors, including 57 images he produced himself with two minors who were approximately five and seven years old during the times the images were produced in 2018 and 2020.
“Concord Police Department’s and FBI’s quick response to the CyberTipline report led to the apprehension of an individual who engaged in the production of child pornography,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Sandra J. Hairston. “Follow up and active investigation of these CyberTipline reports are critical in protecting children from sexual exploitation.”
"Jeremy Mynes' offenses are heinous. He abused and exploited vulnerable children. The damage to his victims is immeasurable. Thankfully, with a 40-year federal sentence and a state trial still ahead, he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison," said Robert R. Wells, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Concord Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kennedy Gates.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to better identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Berkeley County man admits to role in drug trafficking and firearms conspiracyRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brandon Benjamin, of Bunker Hill, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Benjamin, 24, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Distribution of Eutylone.” Benjamin admitted to selling Eutylone in September 2020 in Berkeley County.
Benjamin faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Harpers Ferry Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, D.C. investigated. The EPDTF consists of the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Ranson Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Martinsburg Police Department.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Berkeley County man admits to drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daniel Hardy, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
Hardy, 33, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Heroin and Cocaine Base.” Hardy admitted to working with others to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride from August 2020 to June 2021 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.
Hardy faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Timothy D. Helman are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Directs Steps to Safeguard the Rights of and Ensure Access to Justice for Veterans & ServicemembersRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland today issued a memorandum reaffirming the Justice Department’s commitment to guarding the rights of and improving access to justice for veterans, servicemembers and military families. The memorandum directs the Civil Rights Division’s Servicemember and Veterans Initiative to develop a plan to guide its expanded duties and outreach efforts.
The Attorney General also directed the Office for Access to Justice to provide recommendations for actions that may be taken to better meet the legal needs of veterans and servicemembers, including through medical-legal partnerships, veterans treatment courts and reentry programs and services.
“The Justice Department honors our nation’s veterans and servicemembers not just with words but also with action,” said Attorney General Garland. “To that end, I have directed the Civil Rights Division and the Office for Access to Justice to mobilize resources in order to protect the rights of those who serve and lead efforts across government to ensure access to justice for veterans, servicemembers and military families.”
“Many veterans face unique legal challenges that stem from their service to our country,” said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “The Justice Department’s Office for Access to Justice is uniquely positioned to deploy the tools of the department and to engage our partners across government through the Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable to identify opportunities that will expand access to justice for veterans, servicemembers and their families.”
“Through vigorous enforcement of our federal civil rights laws, we are working to ensure that our servicemembers and veterans, and their families, are able to enjoy the freedoms and rights for which they so valiantly fought,” said Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke. “This Veterans Day, we affirm our long-standing commitment to protecting servicemembers’ civilian employment rights, financial and housing rights, voting rights and more.”
On Nov. 16, the Civil Rights Division will host a virtual event to recognize the commitment and contributions of diverse servicemembers and veterans. The program will feature remarks by the Assistant Attorney General Clarke and a presentation by Ret. Col. Will Gunn, Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel for the Legal Services Corporation. The event is free and open to the public, and pre-registration is required. For more information and to register for this event, please visit: Unsung Heroes: A Civil Rights Division Celebration of Diverse Veterans.
Atlanta man sentenced for stealing veteran’s disability benefitsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - William F. Dorsey Jr., has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling over $150,000 from his father’s beneficiary account funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“Stealing from a disabled veteran who is also his parent is shameful,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Our veterans served this country with honor, and we will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to take advantage of them.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that the VA OIG will vigorously investigate those who steal from our nation’s Veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG will continue to ensure that Veterans with disabilities are not exploited for financial gain or greed.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: On May 10, 2010, William Dorsey, Jr., signed a fiduciary agreement agreeing to manage his father’s benefit payments provided by the VA. His father, William Dorsey, Sr., is a 69-year-old disabled Vietnam Veteran diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and dementia. According to medical records from the secure medical center where he resides, William Dorsey, Sr. is restricted to an adaptive chair, cannot communicate, and requires total assistance with his daily activities.
As part of the fiduciary agreement, William Dorsey, Jr., agreed to spend the VA funds only for the Veteran’s benefit, to never comingle funds, to never withdraw cash from the account, and to keep accurate records and receipts. However, by the time he was removed as fiduciary seven years later in May 2017, bank records showed that Dorsey, Jr. had violated all of these conditions. Financial records showed that Dorsey, Jr. spent thousands of dollars in disability benefits on himself, wrote checks from the Veteran’s account to himself, and retained over $100,000 in the Veteran's disability benefits after the VA removed him as the fiduciary.
William F. Dorsey, Jr., 44, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor L. Ross to one year and one day in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $23,052.87. Dorsey was found guilty by a jury on July 21, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold, III and Irina K. Dutcher, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott McAfee prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Armed robber sentenced for attacking customers at and stealing opioids from multiple pharmaciesRead the Press Release
NEWNAN, Ga. - Anthony Lavell Williams, Jr. has been sentenced for perpetrating a string of armed robberies in Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cobb, and Hall Counties during which Williams assaulted pharmacy customers and forced employees to surrender cash and tens of thousands of opioids and amphetamines to him.
“Driven by greed, Anthony Williams terrorized our community and sought to profit off of the opioid epidemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “This epidemic tragically claims many American lives every year. A multi-agency response at all levels of government and from every corner of this district has brought him to justice.”
“This sentence is a direct result of what good multi-jurisdictional partnerships and communication can accomplish,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “We are grateful for all the hard work by our partners that allowed Williams to be removed from the streets before he could commit any worse crimes or traumatize anymore innocent citizens.”
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: Williams, while armed with a handgun, robbed five retail pharmacies between May 2020 and July 2020. Williams escaped with approximately $9,600 in cash and more than $183,000 of controlled substances. The pharmacies’ losses were eclipsed by the street value of the stolen drugs, which included but was not limited to nearly 44,000 doses of opioids and more than 5,700 tablets containing amphetamine.
Williams’s robberies were carefully planned and increasingly violent. During the May 7, 2020 robbery of a pharmacy in Powder Springs, Georgia, and the May 11, 2020 robbery of a pharmacy in Summerville, Georgia, Williams held store employees at gunpoint, forced them to empty cash registers, and then forced them to another part of the store while he escaped.
On June 4, 2020, Williams robbed a pharmacy in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. During the robbery, Williams threatened a pharmacist and ordered her to open a drug safe containing Schedule II controlled substances from which Williams pillaged very large quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone, amphetamine, and morphine.
A month later, on July 5, 2020, Williams stole cash and more than $50,000 worth of Schedule II controlled substances from a pharmacy in Carrollton, Georgia. Williams took only the most dangerous narcotics, leaving other pharmaceuticals behind. He forced all of the employees and customers in the store to surrender their cell phones and lay on their stomachs in different areas of the store before fleeing.
On July 7, 2020, Williams walked into a pharmacy in Gainesville, Georgia, grabbed a customer at the front register by her hair, and forced the customer and cashier at gunpoint to go with him to the pharmacy at the back of the store. Williams made his victims abandon their cell phones, demanded “painkillers,” and forced them to unlock safes and load a backpack with drugs. Williams stole $1,820 in cash and approximately $30,000 of Schedule II narcotics.
Anthony Lavell Williams, Jr., 28, of Rome, Georgia, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Jr. to 12 years, 7 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $192,983.77 after pleading guilty to five counts of interference with commerce by robbery and armed robbery involving controlled substances. Williams pleaded guilty to these charges on August 3, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Carrollton Police Department, Gainesville Police Department, Fort Oglethorpe Police Department, Powder Springs Police Department, Summerville Police Department, Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, and Rome Police Department with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Rome/Floyd County Metro Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Arizona Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl in Connection with the Overdose Death of Hip-Hop Artist Mac MillerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Arizona man has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal charge for supplying counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl to the drug dealer accused of selling them to rapper Mac Miller, who soon afterward suffered a fatal overdose, the Justice Department announced today.
Ryan Michael Reavis, 38, formerly of West Los Angeles and who moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona in 2019, has agreed to plead guilty to a single-count superseding information charging him with distribution of fentanyl.
According to a plea agreement filed today, on September 4, 2018, at the direction of co-defendant Stephen Andrew Walter, 48, of Westwood, Reavis knowingly distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills to co-defendant Cameron James Pettit, 30, of West Hollywood.
Reavis admitted in his plea agreement to knowing that the pills contained fentanyl or some other controlled substance. In fact, the pills contained fentanyl. Shortly after Reavis distributed the fentanyl-laced pills to Pettit, Pettit distributed the pills to 26-year-old rapper Malcolm James McCormick – who recorded and performed under the name Mac Miller – approximately two days before McCormick suffered a fatal drug overdose in Studio City on September 7, 2018.
Last month, Walter signed a plea agreement in which he agreed to plead guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl. Both Walter and Reavis are expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks before United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II in Los Angeles.
The case against Pettit is pending.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area’s (HIDTA) Opioid Response Team, which operates under the direction of the DEA. The Los Angeles Police Department provided substantial assistance in this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Solomon Kim of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section and Elia Herrera of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this case.
Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr. Admits to Leading Vast Drug-Smuggling, Money Laundering EmpireRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – November 10, 2021
SAN DIEGO – Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr. of Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court today to drug and money laundering charges, admitting that he was the leader of a trafficking organization that transported ton-quantities of cocaine from South America to Mexico and into the United States.
According to court documents, the organization Dominguez headed called itself El Seguimiento 39, or El Seg 39. El Seg 39 obtained cocaine from sources of supply in South and Central America and used drug transportation cells in Central America to transport the cocaine into Mexico via boats, aircraft and commercial vehicles, where its transportation network moved cocaine across the U.S.-Mexico border at ports of entry in Texas and California and into cities within the United States. Dominguez purchased cocaine from sources of supply stretching from the Chiapas state of Mexico to Peru, including sources in Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador.
The charges to which Dominguez pleaded guilty stem from a long-standing investigation that led to more than 30 seizures totaling five tons of cocaine and over $9 million of drug-related proceeds. According to the government filing, Dominguez, a former United States Marine and dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, built his organization through cooperative alliances with the Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO), the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Cartel del Golfo (CDG), and the Los Zetas. His organization not only moved vast quantities of its own cocaine and marijuana into the United States, but it was also used by leaders of other Mexican cartels and drug trafficking organizations to move illegal drugs into the United States.
“Today’s guilty plea shows that this office, together with its law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who are importing huge quantities of dangerous drugs into this country,” said Acting United States Attorney Randy Grossman. Grossman thanked prosecutor Kyle Martin, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Customs and Border Protection for their excellent work on this case.
“Today’s guilty plea of Angel Dominguez Ramirez Jr. demonstrates the enormous value of strong international and domestic law enforcement partnerships,” said Chad Plantz, acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Diego. “This successful prosecution is the culmination of years of investigative effort by HSI special agents and our partners, to uncover and dismantle Dominguez’s drug trafficking operations.”
“The DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to target high-level individuals and organizations who contribute to addiction and death in the United States for their monetary gain,” said DEA San Diego Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. “Today’s guilty plea is testament that collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners are making a positive impact locally and nationwide by disrupting the drug supply chain.”
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 16CR1996-WQH
Angel Dominguez Ramirez Tamaulipas, Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances for Purpose of Unlawful Importation, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 959, 960 and 963; Term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10 million fine and 5 years supervised release
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(2)(B)(i). Term of custody of up to 10 years, $500,000 fine
AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
Drug Enforcement Administration
Customs and Border Protection
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs
Alaska Wildlife Trooper Agrees to Resign and Permanently Relinquish Law Enforcement Credentials for Making False Statements to the FAARead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS – An Alaska Wildlife Trooper has entered into an agreement with the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Alaska to resolve investigations into false and misleading statements he made to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2019.
According to the agreement and other court proceedings, Timothy Abbott, 39, of North Pole, Alaska, has agreed to permanently resign from the Alaska Wildlife Troopers and to relinquish his law enforcement credentials based on conduct surrounding his personal acquisition and registration of an aircraft.
In November 2019, Abbott, then an Alaska Wildlife Trooper, submitted an application to the FAA to register a Kitfox Series 5 airplane. In the application, Abbott submitted a bill of sale to transfer the title of the aircraft to himself in exchange for $1.00 based on the signature of a previous owner of the aircraft, David Miller. Abbott falsely represented to the FAA that Miller had the authority to sell the aircraft. He did not disclose to the FAA that Miller had previously sold the aircraft to another individual more than 10 years ago and no longer had any personal ownership interest in the airplane. After Abbott removed the aircraft from its location at Clear Airport (PACL) Alaska, the actual owner of the aircraft contacted the Alaska State Troopers and reported the aircraft as stolen. During the investigation into the theft, Abbott contacted the Troopers and returned the aircraft to Clear Airport.
“Making false statements to a federal agency is against the law no matter who you are or who you work for,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bryan Wilson, District of Alaska. “There is no excuse for those who deceive federal regulators for the sake of personal gain. To anyone contemplating providing false information to a federal agency, know that the Justice Department will pursue the facts and hold you accountable.”
“We take any allegation of criminal wrongdoing by an Alaska Wildlife Trooper very seriously and will take appropriate steps to hold that Trooper accountable through the criminal justice system,” said Colonel Doug Massie, Director of the Alaska Wildlife Troopers. “I would like to thank our partners at the FBI and US Attorney’s Office for their careful review of this case and bringing it to a resolution. We know that the public places a lot of trust in the Troopers that work across our great state. This was a very unfortunate incident, but the Alaska Department of Public Safety maintains a very high standard for our Alaska State and Wildlife Troopers and that includes conduct that takes place both on and off duty. We are committed to restoring any trust that was lost by the actions of this Trooper and working consistently to meet our mission of ensuring public safety and enforcing fish and wildlife laws.”
Abbott appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec and agreed to the terms of the agreement. If Abbott violates the agreement, he could face a felony conviction for making a false statement to the FAA, which carries up to three years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. If Abbott abides by the terms of the agreement, the United States has agreed to dismiss the charges against him.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Alaska State Troopers (AST) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey is prosecuting the case.
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Acting U.S. Attorney Honig and Acting Attorney General Bruck Announce Joint Federal-State Civil Rights Criminal Enforcement InitiativeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig and Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck today announced the creation of a joint federal-state Civil Rights Criminal Enforcement Initiative to enhance coordination in the investigation and prosecution of federal, state, and local cases involving civil rights violations by law enforcement officers and others acting under color of law.
The Civil Rights Criminal Enforcement Initiative will combine resources from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability, and the FBI in a cooperative approach to criminal civil rights enforcement.
“Our experience tackling violent crime with our state and local partners has taught us well that when it comes to areas of mutual concern – and the unconstitutional use of force and other violations of public trust by members of law enforcement is certainly one of those areas – we accomplish more when we work cooperatively than we do when we go it alone,” Acting U.S. Attorney Honig said. “The initiative that we announce today with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office will ensure that we use all tools available to us to bring worthy cases in the appropriate jurisdiction and to hold accountable all those who would abuse their authority and deprive New Jerseyans of their civil rights.”
“Today’s message is clear: at all levels of government, we’re committed to holding accountable those who abuse their power and violate the civil rights of others,” said Acting New Jersey Attorney General Bruck. “By working together, we can more effectively deploy our resources to ensure that allegations of civil rights violations are investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted. We can and must do more to build trust with the communities we serve, and I’m grateful for an excellent working relationship with Acting U.S. Attorney Honig and my former colleagues at the U.S. Attorney’s Office as we tackle this challenge.”
In recent years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office have identified the criminal enforcement of federal and state civil rights laws as a significant priority. The creation of the Civil Rights Criminal Enforcement Initiative underscores and advances that priority. The initiative will ensure open lines of communication among federal, state, and local partners; permit the simultaneous, rather than sequential, review of evidence by its members; facilitate rapid and efficient decision-making as to the allocation of resources; and foster cooperative decisions regarding the appropriate jurisdiction in which to charge a particular case. Once those decisions have been made, federal, state, and local partners will continue to share case-related information with one another where permissible and provide advice about investigative strategy and best practices. As a result, every case that meets the threshold for prosecution will be brought in the jurisdiction in which that prosecution will have the biggest impact, with the full cooperation and support of all members of the Initiative.
“Our duty to protect American citizens and uphold the Constitution is colorblind,” FBI Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. said. “It doesn’t matter if you wear a blue uniform, a black robe, or street clothes when you go to work; every citizen is entitled to fair and equal treatment under the law. This initiative will further enable the FBI and our state and local law enforcement partners to work together in reviewing and evaluating cases. It should signal to anyone who carries a badge that we are even more committed to earning and keeping the trust instilled in us.”
Complaints of civil rights violations may be made by contacting the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey at (855) 281-3339 or by filing a complaint online. Complaints may also be made by calling the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability at 1-844-OPIA-TIP (1-844-674-2847).
20 Charged in Superseding Indictment with Trafficking Significant Quantities of Multiple DrugsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A federal grand jury returned a five-count Superseding Indictment charging 20 members of a drug trafficking organization with trafficking significant quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
The Superseding Indictment charges the following individuals at Count One with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from in and around April of 2020 and continuing until on or about November 19, 2020:
Marcus Brown, age 33, of Washington, PA
Brandon Boone, age 38, of Washington, PA
Kenneth Brooks, Jr., age 27, of Washington, PA
Kevin Bush, age 51, of Washington, PA
Marc Cain, age 57, of Washington, PA
Brian Householder, age 57, of Greensburg, PA
Steve Law, IV, age 29, of Washington, PA
Princess Makokele, age 40, of Washington, PA
David McComb, age 32, of Coraopolis, PA
Steve Miller, age 48, of Allegheny, PA
Andrew Molinaro, age 42, of Canonsburg, PA
Johnnita Richardson, age 33, of Washington, PA
Warren Sadler, age 56, of Washington, PA
Matthew Spicer, age 50, of Canonsburg, PA
Patrick Ellis, age 47, of Washington, PAThe Superseding Indictment also charges the following individuals at Count Two with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from in and around June of 2020 and continuing until on or about October 27, 2020:
Marcus Brown, age 33, of Washington, PA
Brandon Boone, age 38, of Washington, PA
Kenneth Brooks, Jr., age 27, of Washington, PA
Michael Brown, age 56, of Brownsville, PA
Steve Law, IV, age 29, of Washington, PA
Princess Makokele, age 40, of Washington, PA
Michael Pusateri, age 39, of Washington, PA
Warren Sadler, age 56, of Washington, PAAt Count Three, the Superseding Indictment charges the following individuals with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, from in and around June of 2020 and continuing until in and around August of 2020:
Walter Brunson, Jr., age 51, of Pittsburgh, PA
Shawn McFarland, age 51, of Lawrence, PA
Matthew Spicer, age 50, of Canonsburg, PA
Bradley Stopperich, age 49, of Washington, PAAt Count Four, the Superseding Indictment charges the following individuals with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of heroin and fentanyl, in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere, from in and around August of 2020 and continuing until on or about October 27, 2020:
Marcus Brown, age 33, of Washington, PA
Kenneth Brooks, Jr., age 27, of Washington, PA
Steve Law, IV, age 29, of Washington, PAFinally, at Count Five, the Superseding Indictment charges Patrick Ellis, age 47, of Washington, PA, with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, on or about November 19, 2020.
As to Counts One and Two, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than ten years to a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both, as to each charged Defendant. As to Counts Three and Four, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than twenty years, a fine up to $1,000,000, or both, as to each charged Defendant. As to Count Five, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years to a maximum of forty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentences imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark V. Gurzo and Jerome A. Moschetta are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) in Pittsburgh, PA led the multi-agency investigation that included members of the Pennsylvania State Police, United States Postal Inspection Service, Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Stowe Township Police Department, and North Versailles Police Department.
This prosecution is a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten communities throughout the United States. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
"Operation Hartbreak Kid" Results in Thirteen ArrestsRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Thirteen people will appear in federal court today after being arrested Tuesday morning as part of “Operation Hartbreak Kid.” Named after lead defendant Derrick Hart, 27, of North Little Rock, this operation targeted drug distribution in the North Little Rock area.
In December 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation into a methamphetamine and cocaine distribution ring based in the McAlmont neighborhood of North Little Rock. During the investigation, Hart and Tetus Jenkins, 43, of North Little Rock, were identified as the sources of supply to more than eight other individuals. During the investigation, DEA covertly purchased approximately two pounds of methamphetamine from various co-conspirators and seized more than a pound of methamphetamine and several firearms during the execution of search warrants. During Tuesday’s arrests, officers recovered an additional AR-15 rifle.
The distribution ring operated from a parking lot at the corner of Zinnia Street and Cotton Road in McAlmont, as well as a local McAlmont club at 410 Mimosa Street. Local authorities reported receiving citizen complaints about drug trafficking and gunshots at these locations.
The defendants arrested include Hart, Jenkins, Justin Cross, 29, of North Little Rock; Jonathan Dunigan, 23, of Austin; Andre Graves, 44, of Little Rock; Bianca Lavonda, 33, of North Little Rock; Prince Strong, 37, of Jacksonville; Steven Taylor, 64, of Jacksonville; Daniel White, 34, of North Little Rock; and Dayton Wiggins, Jr., 47, of Jacksonville. In addition to those arrested on Tuesday, seven others have been charged and arrested in separate indictments in connection with this operation.
“Drug trafficking brings violence and fear to our communities, and we will do everything we can to protect our streets from these crimes,” stated Jonathan D. Ross, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “We appreciate the dedication and commitment of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners who conducted this investigation and made these arrests.”
“Methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl are insidious, addictive drugs that consume all who abuse them,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jarad Harper. “With this investigation, DEA, working with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, has taken down a drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing significant amounts of these illegal dangerous drugs into Arkansas through the U.S. Postal Service. This organization used the mail system to evade detection in order to facilitate their operation. These arrests are indicative of our commitment to rid our communities of these criminals determined to profit on the backs of addiction. DEA is committed to its partnerships with all of our law enforcement allies in our ongoing efforts to make our communities safer and a better place for our families and children. “
“These arrests represent the commitment of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) to find and dismantle groups who misuse the U.S. Mail,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division of the USPIS. “This investigation involved the seizure of various illegal drugs ranging from marijuana to fentanyl, along with several firearms. This achievement was made possible by a collaborative effort with our many local and federal law enforcement agencies. We will continue to identify and bring to justice offenders like these to protect our communities and the U.S. Mail.”
Operation Hartbreak Kid was conducted by the DEA with assistance from the USPIS, United States Marshals Service, Arkansas State Police, North Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas Community Corrections, Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, Lonoke Police Department, Little Rock Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, and Jacksonville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
An indictment contains only allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
# # #
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
9 November 2021
법무부, 앨라배마 공중 보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부에 대한 환경 정의 조사 발표Read the Press Release
미국 법무부는 오늘 앨라배마주 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부의 폐수 처리, 전염병 및 발병 프로그램에 대한 환경 정의 조사를 시작했다고 발표했습니다. 오늘의 조사는 표제 VI에 따른 법무부의 최초의 환경 정의 조사입니다.
민권부가 실시할 조사는 앨라배마 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부가 현장 폐수 처리 프로그램과 전염병 및 발병 프로그램이 1964년 민권법 표제 VI를 위반하는 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민을 차별하는 방식으로 운영되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다. 해당 조사는 또한 보건 부서의 정책 및 관행으로 인해 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민의 적절한 위생 시스템에 대한 접근성이 감소되고 구충 감염과 같은 부적절한 폐수 처리와 관련하여 건강에 악영향을 미칠 위험이 과도하게 및 부당하게 부담되게 되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다.
크리스틴 클라크 법무부 민권 담당 차관보는 "위생은 인간의 기본적인 욕구이며, 미국의 어느 누구도 안전하고 효과적인 하수 관리에 대한 부적절한 접근성으로 인해 질병 및 기타 심각한 피해에 노출되어서는 안 된다"고 말했습니다. "주 및 지역 보건 공무원은 연방 민권법에 따라 모든 거주자의 건강과 안전을 보호할 의무가 있습니다. 우리는 이러한 환경 정의 문제와 앨라배마주 론데스 카운티 전역의 사람들의 건강, 생명 및 안전에 미치는 영향에 대해 공정하고 철저한 조사를 수행할 것입니다."
법무부는 이 문제의 혐의에 대한 결론에 도달하지 못했습니다. 법무부는 1964년 민권법 표제 VI에 따라 이 조사를 수행할 것입니다. 표제 VI는 연방 재정 지원을 받는 사람을 인종, 피부색 또는 출신 국가를 근거로 차별하는 것을 금지합니다. 표제 VI에 따라 법무부는 보건부 자금 수혜자가 불법적인 차별 행위에 참여했는지 여부를 조사할 권한이 있습니다.
민권국의 연방 조정 및 규정 준수 부서는 앨라배마 중부에 위치한 미국 검찰청의 지원을 받아 이 조사를 수행하고 있습니다. 관련 정보가 있는 개인은 이메일을 통해 연방 조정 및 규정 준수 부서에 [email protected] 또는 833-739-2103으로 연락할 것을 권장합니다.
국가의 민권법 시행을 통해 차별적인 환경 및 건강 영향을 해결하는 것은 민권과의 최우선 과제입니다. 민권과에 대한 추가 정보는 웹사이트, www.justice.gov/crt 에서 확인할 수 있습니다
법무부, 앨라배마 공중 보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부에 대한 환경 정의 조사 발표Read the Press Release
미국 법무부는 오늘 앨라배마주 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부의 폐수 처리, 전염병 및 발병 프로그램에 대한 환경 정의 조사를 시작했다고 발표했습니다. 오늘의 조사는 표제 VI에 따른 법무부의 최초의 환경 정의 조사입니다.
민권부가 실시할 조사는 앨라배마 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부가 현장 폐수 처리 프로그램과 전염병 및 발병 프로그램이 1964년 민권법 표제 VI를 위반하는 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민을 차별하는 방식으로 운영되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다. 해당 조사는 또한 보건 부서의 정책 및 관행으로 인해 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민의 적절한 위생 시스템에 대한 접근성이 감소되고 구충 감염과 같은 부적절한 폐수 처리와 관련하여 건강에 악영향을 미칠 위험이 과도하게 및 부당하게 부담되게 되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다.
크리스틴 클라크 법무부 민권 담당 차관보는 "위생은 인간의 기본적인 욕구이며, 미국의 어느 누구도 안전하고 효과적인 하수 관리에 대한 부적절한 접근성으로 인해 질병 및 기타 심각한 피해에 노출되어서는 안 된다"고 말했습니다. "주 및 지역 보건 공무원은 연방 민권법에 따라 모든 거주자의 건강과 안전을 보호할 의무가 있습니다. 우리는 이러한 환경 정의 문제와 앨라배마주 론데스 카운티 전역의 사람들의 건강, 생명 및 안전에 미치는 영향에 대해 공정하고 철저한 조사를 수행할 것입니다."
법무부는 이 문제의 혐의에 대한 결론에 도달하지 못했습니다. 법무부는 1964년 민권법 표제 VI에 따라 이 조사를 수행할 것입니다. 표제 VI는 연방 재정 지원을 받는 사람을 인종, 피부색 또는 출신 국가를 근거로 차별하는 것을 금지합니다. 표제 VI에 따라 법무부는 보건부 자금 수혜자가 불법적인 차별 행위에 참여했는지 여부를 조사할 권한이 있습니다.
민권국의 연방 조정 및 규정 준수 부서는 앨라배마 중부에 위치한 미국 검찰청의 지원을 받아 이 조사를 수행하고 있습니다. 관련 정보가 있는 개인은 이메일을 통해 연방 조정 및규정 준수 부서에 [email protected] 또는 833-739-2103으로 연락할 것을 권장합니다.
국가의 민권법 시행을 통해 차별적인 환경 및 건강 영향을 해결하는 것은 민권과의 최우선 과제입니다. 민권과에 대한 추가 정보는 웹사이트, www.justice.gov/crt에서 확인할 수 있습니다.
법무부, 앨라배마 공중 보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부에 대한 환경 정의 조사 발표Read the Press Release
미국 법무부는 오늘 앨라배마주 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부의 폐수 처리, 전염병 및 발병 프로그램에 대한 환경 정의 조사를 시작했다고 발표했습니다. 오늘의 조사는 표제 VI에 따른 법무부의 최초의 환경 정의 조사입니다.
민권부가 실시할 조사는 앨라배마 공중보건부와 론데스 카운티 보건부가 현장 폐수 처리 프로그램과 전염병 및 발병 프로그램이 1964년 민권법 표제 VI를 위반하는 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민을 차별하는 방식으로 운영되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다. 해당 조사는 또한 보건 부서의 정책 및 관행으로 인해 론데스 카운티의 흑인 주민의 적절한 위생 시스템에 대한 접근성이 감소되고 구충 감염과 같은 부적절한 폐수 처리와 관련하여 건강에 악영향을 미칠 위험이 과도하게 및 부당하게 부담되게 되었는지 여부를 조사할 것입니다.
크리스틴 클라크 법무부 민권 담당 차관보는 "위생은 인간의 기본적인 욕구이며, 미국의 어느 누구도 안전하고 효과적인 하수 관리에 대한 부적절한 접근성으로 인해 질병 및 기타 심각한 피해에 노출되어서는 안 된다"고 말했습니다. "주 및 지역 보건 공무원은 연방 민권법에 따라 모든 거주자의 건강과 안전을 보호할 의무가 있습니다. 우리는 이러한 환경 정의 문제와 앨라배마주 론데스 카운티 전역의 사람들의 건강, 생명 및 안전에 미치는 영향에 대해 공정하고 철저한 조사를 수행할 것입니다."
법무부는 이 문제의 혐의에 대한 결론에 도달하지 못했습니다. 법무부는 1964년 민권법 표제 VI에 따라 이 조사를 수행할 것입니다. 표제 VI는 연방 재정 지원을 받는 사람을 인종, 피부색 또는 출신 국가를 근거로 차별하는 것을 금지합니다. 표제 VI에 따라 법무부는 보건부 자금 수혜자가 불법적인 차별 행위에 참여했는지 여부를 조사할 권한이 있습니다.
민권국의 연방 조정 및 규정 준수 부서는 앨라배마 중부에 위치한 미국 검찰청의 지원을 받아 이 조사를 수행하고 있습니다. 관련 정보가 있는 개인은 이메일을 통해 연방 조정 및 규정 준수 부서에 [email protected]로 연락할 것을 권장합니다.
국가의 민권법 시행을 통해 차별적인 환경 및 건강 영향을 해결하는 것은 민권과의 최우선 과제입니다. 민권과에 대한 추가 정보는 웹사이트, www.justice.gov/crt에서 확인할 수 있습니다.
司法部宣布對阿拉巴馬州公共衛生部和朗德茲郡衛生局進行環境司法調查Read the Press Release
美國司法部今天宣布，它已對阿拉巴馬州公共衛生部和朗德茲郡 (Lowndes County) 衛生 局的廢水處理計劃和傳染病與病情爆發計劃展開環境司法調查。這項調查是司法部有史以 來根據《民權法案》第六章進行的首次環境司法調查。
調查由民權司進行，將會審查阿拉巴馬州公共衛生部和朗德茲郡衛生局實施其廢水就地處 理計劃及傳染病與病情爆發計劃的方式，是否構成對朗德茲郡黑人居民的歧視，因而違反 1964 年《民權法案》第六章（以下簡稱“第六章”）。調查還將審查兩個衛生部門的政 策和做法是否減少了朗德茲郡黑人居民獲得適當衛生系統服務的機會，並且使他們不成比 例和不合理地承擔由於廢水處理不當而受到有害健康影響的風險，例如遭到鉤蟲感染。
“衛生是人類的基本需求之一，在美國，任何人都不應因為欠缺安全有效的污水管理而面 臨患病和其他嚴重傷害的風險，”司法部民權司助理檢察長克里斯汀•克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 說。“根據聯邦民權法律，州和地方衛生官員都有義務保護所有居民的健康和安 全。我們將對這些引起關切的環境公平問題及其對阿拉巴馬州整個朗德茲郡人民的健康、 生活和安全的影響進行公平、徹底的調查。”
司法部尚未就在這件事上的各種指控達成任何結論。司法部將根據 1964 年《民權法案》 第六章進行這項調查。第六章禁止聯邦財政援助的接受者實行基於種族、膚色或原國籍的 歧視。第六章授權司法部調查司法部資助金的接受者是否有非法歧視行為。
民權司的聯邦協調與合規科正在設在阿拉巴馬州中區的美國檢察官辦公室的支持下進行這 項調查。司法部鼓勵擁有相關資訊的個人發電子郵件給 [email protected] 或者致 電 833-739-2103 與聯邦協調與合規科聯繫。
通過執行國家民權法律消除歧視性的環境與健康影響，是民權司的一項首要任務。有關民 權司的更多資訊，請造訪其網站，網址是 www.justice.gov/crt。
司法部宣布对亚拉巴马州公共卫生部和朗德兹郡卫生局进行环境司法调查Read the Press Release
美国司法部今天宣布，它已对亚拉巴马州公共卫生部和朗德兹郡 (Lowndes County) 卫生 局的废水处理计划和传染病与病情爆发计划展开环境司法调查。这项调查是司法部有史以 来根据《民权法案》第六章进行的首次环境司法调查。
调查由民权司进行，将会审查亚拉巴马州公共卫生部和朗德兹郡卫生局实施其废水就地处 理计划及传染病与病情爆发计划的方式，是否构成对朗德兹郡黑人居民的歧视，因而违反 1964 年《民权法案》第六章（以下简称“第六章”）。调查还将审查两个卫生部门的政 策和做法是否减少了朗德兹郡黑人居民获得适当卫生系统服务的机会，并且使他们不成比 例和不合理地承担由于废水处理不当而受到有害健康影响的风险，例如遭到钩虫感染。
“卫生是人类的基本需求之一，在美国，任何人都不应因为欠缺安全有效的污水管理而面 临患病和其他严重伤害的风险，”司法部民权司助理检察长克里斯汀•克拉克 (Kristen Clarke) 说。“根据联邦民权法律，州和地方卫生官员都有义务保护所有居民的健康和安 全。我们将对这些引起关切的环境公平问题及其对亚拉巴马州整个朗德兹郡人民的健康、 生活和安全的影响进行公平、彻底的调查。”
司法部尚未就在这件事上的各种指控达成任何结论。司法部将根据 1964 年《民权法案》 第六章进行这项调查。第六章禁止联邦财政援助的接受者实行基于种族、肤色或原国籍的 歧视。第六章授权司法部调查司法部资助金的接受者是否有非法歧视行为。
民权司的联邦协调与合规科正在设在亚拉巴马州中区的美国检察官办公室的支持下进行这 项调查。司法部鼓励拥有相关信息的个人发电子邮件给 [email protected] 或者致 电 833-739-2103 与联邦协调与合规科联系。
通过执行国家民权法律消除歧视性的环境与健康影响，是民权司的一项首要任务。有关民 权司的更多信息，请访问其网站，网址是 www.justice.gov/crt。
York County Man Sentenced for Distributing Heroin to Women Who Died from Drug OverdosesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A York County man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for distributing heroin to two women who died from overdoses at his Seaford home and for possessing firearms and ammunition as an unlawful drug user who maintained a drug-involved premises.
According to court documents, Michael Kerlin, 53, owned a Newport News business, Dixie Fuel Company, which primarily sold propane gas to customers. Kerlin used funds derived from his business sales to purchase cocaine, cocaine base, prescription drugs, and heroin. In November 2015, Kerlin distributed heroin to a young woman at his home who subsequently died in the hospital after he called 911 and reported a person down. In May 2016, he distributed heroin to another young woman who died at his house. Rather than calling 911, he put her body into a garbage can which he transported to and left at his business.
During the investigation, it was determined that Kerlin possessed firearms and ammunition at his home where he also stored heroin and cocaine as well as other drugs.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Brian Samuels along with former Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard J. Zlotnick prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:19-cr-07.
Wadesboro, N.C. Man Is Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Federal Fireams OffenseRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Acting U.S. Attorney William T. Stetzer announced today that Dallas Devon Leak, 28, of Wadesboro, N.C. was sentenced to 100 months in prison and two years of supervised release for a federal firearms offense.
Vincent C. Pallozzi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Thedis Spencer of the Wadesboro Police Department (Wadesboro PD) join Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer in making today’s announcement.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on April 8, 2020, at approximately 10:17 p.m., the Wadesboro Police Department received a 911 call regarding a burglary and shooting at a residence in Anson County. The officers who responded to the scene found a male victim inside the residence with an apparent gunshot wound to his leg. Officers located Leak during a subsequent search of a wooded area behind the victim’s home. When the officers found Leak, he was lying face down on top of a firearm, which was loaded with a large capacity magazine and one round in the chamber. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement determined that Leak’s firearm had previously been reported stolen.
On January 13, 2021, Leak pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, Acting U.S. Attorney Stetzer thanked the ATF and the Wadesboro Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Regina Pack, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Upper Skagit tribal member sentenced to 15 years in prison for assaultRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44–year-old member of the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for three federal felonies in connection with a February 6, 2019, shooting on the Tulalip Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown. Joseph Sam a/k/a William Earlystar Clark was convicted of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a four-day jury trial. U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour imposed 3 years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, Sam participated in a conspiracy to rob the victim of an ounce of heroin. The co-conspirators’ plan was for one of them to pose as a buyer of the heroin and for Sam to then show up and rob the victim. Sam arrived at a residence where the other two co-conspirators were waiting with the victim. His face was covered to hide his identity and he had a gun. When the victim fought back, Sam shot him in the back, paralyzing him from the waist down. Following the robbery and shooting, law enforcement was able to piece together the gunman’s identity by reviewing social media posts and obtaining warrants for Facebook accounts and other electronic information. Sam was arrested on May 15, 2019, and has been in custody since his arrest.
In asking for the 15-year sentence, prosecutors noted the suffering of the victim in this case. “He is no longer self-sufficient and is forced to rely on family to assist with his basic needs…. He is in constant and severe pain. The pain medication impacts his memory and focus, making it hard to participate in classes or perform even the most routine tasks,” prosecutors wrote in their sentencing memo.
The case was investigated by the Tulalip Tribal Police Department and the FBI.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Cohen and Cecelia Gregson.
United States Attorney’s Office and U.S. Postal Inspection Service recognize the Operation Protect Veterans ProgramRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – As you know, Veterans Day (November 11) is right around the corner. The United States Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, has teamed up with AARP for the Operation Protect Veterans program, which is working to educate veterans, their families and loved ones on scams targeting them.
Scammers are creating schemes specifically targeting veterans. An AARP survey shows veterans are twice as likely as the general public to be the victim of a scam. 78% of our retired military men and women have been targeted by schemes specifically crafted to exploit their military service.
There are a variety of scams specifically targeting our veteran community, including the following:
-VA Loan Scam: Offers to refinance VA loans at extremely low rates
-Pension Poaching Scam: Scammers will offer veterans lump sum payments up front, in exchange for signing over all their future monthly benefit checks.
-Update Your File Scam: An imposter, claiming to be from a government agency, attempts to get a veteran’s personal information to “update their file” so they can maintain their benefits.
These are just a few examples of the many scams out there targeting veterans.
“Operation Protect Veterans,” https://www.uspis.gov/veterans, was created by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the AARP as a means of providing valuable information and resources to veterans and their loved ones and friends about these scams and many more.
These additional links provide more details on the fraud aimed at veterans and the general public.
https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/81832/partnership-postal-inspection-service-helps-veterans-avoid-scams/
https://link.usps.com/2021/05/03/defensive-measures/
For further information on this important program and our partnership with the U. S. Postal Inspection Service to investigate and prosecute such egregious crimes against our veteran community please contact:
Inspector Matthew Villicana or Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry
Mail Fraud/Money Laundering United States Attorney’s Office
United States Postal Inspection Service Eastern District of Missouri
1106 Walnut Street 111 S. 10th Street
St. Louis, MO 63199 St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 539-9347 (Office) (314) 539-2550
Two Members of the Nine Trey Gangster Bloods Gang Plead Guilty to RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Yesterday, two Georgia men and members of the Nine Trey Gangster national criminal organization pleaded guilty to Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy.
The Nine Trey Gangsters (NTG) are a national gang that started in the prisons of New York as a subset of the United Bloods Nation and has since spread throughout the East Coast and Southeast. The NTG’s members and associates engage in acts of violence, including murder, assaults, robbery, firearms possession, witness tampering, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, extortion, and other criminal activities. The NTG have a hierarchical structure and members throughout the country are subdivided into separate groups or “lines,” usually named after the gang’s leaders. Each NTG member has a specific rank within the gang or a specific line, and this rank comes with specific duties and responsibilities. Both of the defendants who pleaded guilty yesterday were part of the gang’s “fire” line and were responsible for planning attacks on rival gangs.
According to court documents, Khajavius Mitchell, aka KJ, 28, of Atlanta, held the rank of “fourth floor” in the gang’s hierarchy, and was responsible for assisting the superiors known as “fifth floors” in running the gang’s activity on a daily basis.
Devonta Marshall, aka Street Monsta, 27, of Atlanta, held the rank of “first floor” in the gang’s hierarchy and was responsible for overseeing the gang members without rank within a certain area.
Both pleaded guilty to count 1 of the second superseding indictment, charging them and nine others with RICO conspiracy for their involvement in planning, facilitating, and executing multiple acts of violence and participating in the gang’s drug trafficking activities. Mitchell and Marshall will be sentenced at a later date by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Totenberg and face a statutory maximum term of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge JC (Chris) Hacker of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Twenty-one facing multiple drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Twenty-one people are facing charges involving drug trafficking and firearms in Barbour and Randolph Counties, United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II announced.
“Methamphetamine continues to be a serious problem in our district. When you combine methamphetamine dealers with firearms, it’s a dangerous combination. I commend all of our law enforcement partners for their hard work on these cases, and their continued partnership to make our communities safer places to live and work,” said Ihlenfeld.
Law enforcement conducted an operation today to arrest those charged in separate indictments handed down in October and November by Grand Juries sitting in Elkins and Clarksburg. Those facing charges are:
• Caleb Andrew Beverly, 23, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Nicholas Joseph Buono, 34, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Kayla Lynn Jenkins, 27, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Calvin Crocket Mullins, 29, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Katrina Ann Sears, 42, of Belington, West Virginia
• Wendell Dean Beverly, 58, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Christopher Columbus Mayle, 42, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Kyle Richard Lantz, II, 38, of Philippi, West Virginia
• John C. Holliday, 31, Mill Creek, West Virginia
• Jenny Lynn Wood, 30, of Beverly, West Virginia
• Matthew Scott Mayle, 35, of Philippi, West Virginia
• James Richard Cutright, also known as “Jimmy,” 34, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Noah Jacob Graham, 20, of Philippi, West Virginia
• Austin Jay Robinson, 22, of Belington, West Virginia
• Dustin Allen Summerfield, 29, of Beverly, West Virginia
• Jonathan Andrew Swiger, 33, of Belington, West Virginia
• Cameron K. Shreve, 43, of Mill Creek, West Virginia
• Albert Perry Shreve, III, 42, of Elkins, West Virginia
• Gary Roudolph Loy, Jr., 48, of Clarksburg, West Virginia
• Cheyenne Mary Katherine Winning, 29, of Montrose, West Virginia
• Joshua Dewayne Simmons, 28, of Elkins, West VirginiaThe twenty-one are facing charges that range from distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine to unlawful possession of a firearm. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in Barbour and Randolph Counties.
Today’s operation also included the arrests of more than 20 others on state charges. Law enforcement seized approximately 35 firearms during the arrests.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower and Stephen D. Warner are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, West Virginia State Police, the Mountain Region Drug Task Force, the Barbour County Sheriff’s Office, and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Twenty-Year Old Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Terrion Jones, 20, has been sentenced to 111 months in federal prison for attempted carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy Jr., announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on December 28, 2019, co-defendant Demetrius Williams and Terrion Jones contacted a third-party to take them to the mall. As the vehicle arrived, Jones got in the back seat of the vehicle. Williams asked the victim to pick up an additional female passenger behind the apartment building. Upon arriving to the back of the building, Jones got out of the car under the guise of getting another passenger.
As Jones opened the door, Williams brandished a handgun and told the victim "Get out of the car, so I don't have to shoot you." The victim resisted and Jones punched her. Williams eventually gave Jones the gun and told Jones to shoot the victim. Jones pointed the gun at the victim, and she ran away. An armed citizen intervened, and the suspects fled the scene. Jones and Williams were identified as the suspects and placed in custody several days later.
Jones pled guilty to attempted carjacking and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence on August 5, 2021.
On September 15, 2021, Williams pled guilty to attempted carjacking and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. Sentencing is set for December 15, 2021.
On November 3, 2021, U.S. Senior District Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Jones to 111 months in federal prison to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and a $2,000 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Rogers and Gregory Wagner are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Three men guilty for their roles in multimillion-dollar COVID-relief fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three individuals have admitted to their participation in a scheme to fraudulently obtain and launder millions of dollars in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The Small Business Administration (SBA) guarantees PPP loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Richard Reuth, 58, Spring, entered his plea today, while Raheel Malik, 41, Sugar Land, and Siddiq Azeemuddin, 42, Naperville, Illinois, pleaded guilty yesterday. During their respective pleas, they admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the SBA and certain SBA-approved PPP lenders by submitting false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Azeemuddin and Malik also conspired to launder over $3 million in PPP loan funds through Azeemuddin’s business, Fascare International Inc. dba Almeda Discount Store.
As part of the scheme, Azeemuddin instructed Malik to fill out blank checks from companies that received PPP loans by putting the names of fake employees in the payee line. At Azeemuddin’s direction, Malik then cashed the checks at a financial institution and transported the cash to other members of the conspiracy. In exchange for laundering the funds, Azeemuddin received 1 to 2% of each check cashed.
For his part, Reuth admitted to conspiring to submit PPP loan applications on behalf of companies that he knew were inactive and did not have any employees. In exchange for each false and fraudulent PPP loan application, Reuth received approximately $50,000.
Azeemuddin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of money laundering, while Malik admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Azeemuddin and Malik face up to 40 and five years in federal prison, respectively. Reuth entered his plea to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and could receive a maximum of 20 years in prison. All are set for sentencing March 7, 2022.
SBA–Office of Inspector General (OIG), , Federal Housing Finance Agency–OIG, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation–OIG, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Kristine Rollinson are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Louis Manzo and Della Sentilles of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
On May 17, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit the Combatting Coronavirus Fraud page.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Three Sentenced in Overdose Causing Death CaseRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- Acting United States Attorney M. Rhett DeHart announced today that Darryl Blunt, 59, Ayla Courvoisie, 31, and Teresa Cooper, 60, all of Charleston, were sentenced for their respective roles in a case involving fentanyl that caused the death of a victim. Specifically, Blunt was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that caused a death, Courvoisie was sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing fentanyl that caused a death and wire fraud, and Cooper was sentenced to probation for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that Blunt distributed fentanyl to Courvoisie, and Courvoisie, in turn, distributed the drugs to the victim, who died from the drugs. Courvoisie then contacted Blunt, who provided Courvoisie with other individuals who eventually helped Courvoisie move the victim’s body. Courvoisie stole the victim’s bank cards and used them around Charleston. After the overdose, and while Blunt was in jail, Blunt directed Cooper to obtain his gun for him, which they both were prohibited from possessing. Additional evidence presented at the sentencing showed that Blunt had a significant criminal history.
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced Blunt to 240 months in federal prison, and Courvoisie to 144 months, both to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Cooper was sentenced to 24-months probation.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force, North Charleston Police Department, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Jamie Schoen prosecuted the case.
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Three Men Admit Roles in $50 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Three men today admitted their roles in a health care fraud and kickback schemes, U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced.
Nicholas Defonte, 73, and Christopher Cirri, 63, both of Toms River, New Jersey, and Pat Truglia, 53, of Parkland, Florida, each pleaded guilty before U.S. district Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in court:
Each defendant played a role in defrauding health care benefit programs by offering, paying, soliciting, and receiving kickbacks and bribes in exchange for completed doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment, namely orthotic braces (DME orders):
- Truglia and his conspirators had financial interests in multiple DME companies. The DME companies paid kickbacks to suppliers of DME orders, including Cirri, Defonte, and Truglia, in exchange for DME orders, which the DME companies subsequently fraudulently billed to Medicare, TRICARE, CHAMPVA, and other health care benefit programs. Truglia and his conspirators concealed their ownership of the DME companies by using straw owners who were falsely reported to Medicare as the owners of the companies.
- Truglia, Cirri, Defonte, and their conspirators owned and operated multiple call centers through which they obtained DME orders for beneficiaries of Medicare and other federal health care programs. The call centers paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to telemedicine companies to obtain DME orders for these beneficiaries. The telemedicine companies then paid physicians to write medically unnecessary DME orders. The DME orders were provided to DME supply companies owned by Truglia and others in exchange for bribes. The DME supply companies in turn provided the braces to beneficiaries and fraudulently billed the health care programs.
- Cirri, Defonte, and their conspirators had business relationships with call centers through which they obtained prescriptions for compounded medications and other medical products reimbursable by federal and private health care benefit programs. Cirri and Defonte provided these prescriptions for compounded medical prescriptions and other medical products in exchange for kickbacks and bribes from companies that fraudulently billed them to health care programs.
The defendants caused losses to Medicare, TRICARE, and CHAMPVA of approximately $50 million.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross profit or loss caused by the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for March 22, 2022.
Acting U.S. Attorney Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George M. Crouch Jr. in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean M. Sherman and Ryan L. O’Neill of the Opioid Abuse Prevention & Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Units in Newark, Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorney Darren Halverson of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Ten Defendants Indicted for Human Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO – Federal agents arrested nine of the 10 defendants charged in an 11-count indictment involving human smuggling. The following are charged with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens: Sebastian Tovar, 25, of Toledo, Ohio; Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, aka “Chayo” and “Flaco,” 33, of Austin; Veronica Torres-Mendez, 34, of Austin; Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” 40, of San Antonio; Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, 19, of Bastrop; Lauren Michelle Malmquist, aka “Mama” and “Lala,” 32, of Round Rock; Eduardo Rivera Benitez, aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” 23, of Bastrop; Marco Antonio Hernandez, aka “Temo,” 19, of Paige; and Jose Eli Rodriguez, 21, of Austin.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2021, Tovar was driving a Dodge Ram near Del Rio when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper attempted to stop the vehicle. Tovar tried to evade law enforcement and eventually crashed the vehicle into oncoming traffic. Eight people, who were in the truck, died from injuries sustained from the crash as well as one person who was seriously injured. All nine were undocumented noncitizens and illegally present in the U.S. In addition, two U.S. citizens were seriously injured in the head-on collision when Tovar struck their vehicle.
After the crash, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents encountered a Ford F-150 stopped in traffic near the crash site. USBP agents directed the Ford to turn around and subsequently all occupants of the Ford fled the vehicle, absconding into nearby brush. USBP agents were able to locate 12 undocumented noncitizens who bolted from the Ford. After interviewing two of the undocumented noncitizens, USBP agents determined that the occupants of the Dodge and Ford were part of a human smuggling operation that was illegally transporting 20 undocumented noncitizens in the U.S.
Hernandez is pending arrest.
Tovar, Mondragon, Torres, Davis, Rodriguez-Jaimes, Malmquist and Benitez are also charged with one count of transporting undocumented noncitizens resulting in death. Tovar is also charged with one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of illegal transportation of undocumented noncitizens resulting in serious bodily injury. Mondragon, Davis and Rodriguez-Jaimes are additionally charged with two counts of transportation of undocumented noncitizens. Torres is additionally charged with four counts of transportation of undocumented noncitizens. Hernandez, Jose Rodriguez, and Luna are additional charged with one count of transportation of undocumented noncitizens.
All defendants face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens. Tovar, Mondragon, Torres, Davis, Rodriguez-Jaimes, Malmquist and Benitez face a maximum of life in prison for the transportation of undocumented resulting in death charge. Tovar faces a maximum 20 years in prison on each of the conspiracy to transport and the transportation of undocumented noncitizens resulting in serious bodily injury charges. Mondragon, Torres, Davis, Rodriguez-Jaimes, Hernandez, Jose Rodriguez and Luna face up to 10 years in prison for each count of transportation charged. If convictions result, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden made the announcement.
HSI, USBP and DPS are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Staten Island Businessman Operating in Bucks County Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Tobacco SmugglingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Ramzi Al Najar, 43, of Staten Island, NY, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $7.8 million in restitution by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker for smuggling smokeless tobacco products across state lines to avoid paying the associated taxes.
The defendant operated Capital Trade, Inc., a tobacco wholesaler based in Bristol, PA. During the charged conduct, Al Najar and his associates transported almost $40 million worth of tobacco from Pennsylvania to New York, while failing to pay millions of dollars in New York state excise taxes on that tobacco. In order to hide his scheme, the defendant and his associates created false invoices and filed false documents with Pennsylvania and New York regulators which substantially underreported the amount of tobacco sold. Al Najar also failed to register and report as an interstate seller of smokeless tobacco as required by the Prevent All Cigarette Smuggling Act (PACT Act).
“The defendant thought he found a loophole to fast money, by cheating both Pennsylvania and New York out of substantial taxes owed for the sale of tobacco products,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “But now he is the one paying the price. Everyone has to follow the law, and our Office is here with our federal, state, and local level partners to enforce that standard.”
“The FDA closely monitors retailer, manufacturer, importer, and distributor compliance with Federal tobacco laws and regulations and takes enforcement action when violations occur, as in this case of trafficking in contraband tobacco,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to monitor the tobacco environment, investigate violations and bring perpetrators to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Criminal Division, with assistance from: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, the New York State Department of Tax and Finance, Criminal Investigations Division, and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert J. Livermore and Frank A. Weber.
Spokane Naturopath Agrees to Pay $47,700 Civil Penalty for Improper Prescription of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – Christopher M. Valley, N.D., a Spokane-based naturopathic doctor, has agreed to pay $47,700 to resolve allegations under the Controlled Substances Act that he improperly prescribed controlled substances between December 2015 and December 2020. The Controlled Substances Act regulates certain drugs deemed to pose a risk of abuse and dependence. To protect public safety and prevent misuse and diversion, the Act requires practitioners to register with the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) to prescribe these controlled substances.
During the relevant time period, Dr. Valley was a naturopathic doctor licensed in the State of Washington. Under state and federal law, as a naturopathic doctor, Dr. Valley was only authorized to prescribe two types of controlled substances: codeine and testosterone products. In the settlement agreement between the United States and Dr. Valley, Dr. Valley acknowledged prescribing at least 318 controlled substances that he was not authorized to prescribe, including stimulants such as modafinil (typically prescribed for narcolepsy and sleep apnea); the sedative pregabalin (sold by Pfizer under the brand name Lyrica); the diet drug phentermine; the sleep aid zopidem (often sold under the brand name Ambien), and one prescription for ketamine, a Schedule III anesthetic that is commonly abused recreationally.
The settlement agreement also further sets forth that Dr. Valley ceased his improper prescribing practices in September 2020 when pharmacists contacted him regarding his improper prescribing, and that he cooperated with the United States’ investigation, including acknowledging his prior improper prescribing and voluntarily surrendering his DEA registration. Additionally, the settlement agreement sets forth that Dr. Valley has implemented additional controls and procedures to ensure that this conduct does not recur.
“I am relieved that it does not appear anyone was seriously harmed by any medications prescribed by Dr. Valley, and I am heartened by Dr. Valley’s acknowledgment of his conduct and commitment to strict compliance going forward. But when a healthcare practitioner prescribes controlled substances that he is not qualified or authorized to prescribe, the public is placed at risk of potentially dangerous side effects, drug interactions, and contraindications,” said Vanessa R. Waldref, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. “This resolution demonstrates our strong commitment to protecting public health and to keeping our communities strong and safe. In particular, I commend the excellent investigative work conducted by DEA’s Diversion Group and the Department of Health and Human Services. We will continue to partner with DEA, HHS, and other law enforcement agencies to hold health care practitioners accountable.”
“Dr. Valley’s careless and irresponsible prescribing habits violated federal law and constituted a serious breach of his naturopathic license, which presented a clear and present danger to the health and safety of our communities,” said Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Seattle Field Division. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners in the relentless pursuit of all those involved in the trafficking of opioids and other controlled substances.”
The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by DEA’s Seattle Field Office, Diversion Group, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, with support and assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Seattle Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene handled this matter on behalf of the United States.
Second Metro East Man Pleads Guilty in Bank Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Aijeigh McShan, 20, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, pled guilty today to conspiracy and bank fraud charges in federal court in East St. Louis, Illinois. McShan is the second of three men charged in the indictment to plead guilty. Lagardo Wright, 20, also of Fairview Heights, pled guilty to the same offenses on September 21, 2021.
According to court documents, Wright and McShan used other people’s bank accounts to deposit counterfeit checks at multiple banks. They obtained access to those accounts by recruiting individuals on social media and elsewhere, promising money in exchange for personal banking information, including online usernames, passwords, and PIN numbers. Whenever they found someone willing to participate, they checked the person’s account balances and withdrawal limits, and deposited counterfeit checks into the person’s account at ATMs or through mobile deposits. Then they quickly withdrew funds before the bank could determine the checks were counterfeit and closed the account for fraud.
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud and brank fraud carry maximum sentences of thirty years in prison, fines of up to $1,000,000, and restitution.
Wright’s sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2022. McShan will be sentenced on March 9, 2022.
The third defendant, Cedric Sheard, Jr., 21, of Belleville, Illinois, is scheduled to plead guilty on November 16, 2021.The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke J. Weissler.
Sanford Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine—A Sanford man was sentenced today in federal court for conspiring to distribute fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee announced.
U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby sentenced Scott Adams, 45, to 20 years in prison and four years of supervised release. Adams was also ordered to pay restitution to the victims of the offense in the amount of $5,511.33 and a fine of $4,388.67. Adams pleaded guilty on June 6, 2020.
According to court records, between August 2017 and April 2018, Adams and others acquired fentanyl in Massachusetts for distribution in York County. Two people who received fentanyl from members of the conspiracy died and another person suffered serious bodily injury.
On April 11, 2018, law enforcement officers seized approximately 150 grams of fentanyl from members of the conspiracy. A later search of Adams’ residence resulted in the seizure of fentanyl, a digital scale, approximately $2,500 in cash and a “finger press” designed to compress fentanyl for further distribution.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency investigated the case, with assistance from the Biddeford and Sanford police departments.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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San Antonio Man Posing as a Young Girl Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Enrique Roman Martinez Jr., 35, pretended to be a young girl on a social media chat platform who befriended a 10-year-old minor in another state. Martinez also pretended to be a police officer to intimidate the minor. Through manipulation and coercion, Martinez convinced the child to create sexually explicit images and to send those images to Martinez.
“Child predators will go to extraordinary lengths to exploit and manipulate our children,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “They belong behind bars, and we will continue to work to put them there.”
“The FBI is committed to protecting children, as they the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, FBI San Antonio Division. “Those who would harm them will face serious consequences and will be held accountable for their actions.”
On April 26, 2021, Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
Martinez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on July 2, 2018.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Rome Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Michael Mayhew, age 56, of Rome, New York, pled guilty today to one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman, Janeen DiGuiseppi, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York State Police (NYSP) Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen.
Mayhew, who remains detained pending his sentencing scheduled for March 9, 2022, before Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby in Syracuse, New York, faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Mayhew will also be required to register as a sex offender.
As part of his guilty plea, Mayhew admitted that in December of 2018 he took photographs of a 6 year old child naked in his bathroom using his cellular telephone, including images that captured the child’s genitals. He also admitted that in 1993 and 1994 he secretly video recorded 3 children under the age of 12 in his home, again capturing videos of them naked and in two instances with their genitals visible He further admitted that from 2010 to 2015 he downloaded numerous graphic video files of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct from the internet. Finally, Mayhew admitted that in March of 2019 he possessed 184 images of child pornography on an electronic storage device in his home as well as the videos he took in 1993 and 1994 on two separate VHS tapes.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Oneida County Sherriff’s Office, Rome Police Department, Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, Oneida County Child Advocacy Center, New York State Police, United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Romanian Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Stefan Catalin Bereanda, 45, a Romanian citizen unlawfully present in the United States, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to bank fraud and identity theft, Acting United States Attorney John J. Farley announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November of 2019, Bereanda and his co-defendant, Adrian Redenciuc, devised a scheme to defraud a New Hampshire bank by obtaining account information belonging to the bank’s customers, re-encoding the information onto new cards, and using those cards to withdraw funds from customer accounts. Surveillance footage revealed that on or about November 9, 2019, Redenciuc installed skimming devices on several ATMs in Claremont. He also installed small hidden cameras designed to record the PIN number entered by the customer during an ATM transaction. On November 10, 2019, surveillance footage captured Redenciuc removing the devices. Over the next few days, the two men visited several ATM locations around Claremont and made unauthorized withdrawals totaling over $30,000 using the information obtained through the skimming devices.
Bereanda is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2022. Redenciuc has not yet been taken into custody.
“Identity theft and bank fraud offenses are significant crimes that cause serious financial and emotional harm to victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Farley. “This defendant’s scheme used skimming devices and hidden cameras to steal information from innocent bank customers. Thanks to the work of the Secret Service, this disturbing criminal scheme was stopped and this defendant has been held accountable for his unlawful conduct.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service and Claremont Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kasey Weiland.
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Prince George’s County Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for a Heroin Distribution Conspiracy Conducted over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel sentenced Russell Ramseur, age 44, of Largo, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least one kilogram of heroin and for possession with intent to distribute heroin.
The sentence was announced by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Daniel A. Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division.
According to Ramseur’s plea agreement, from at least April 2014 through December 2015, Ramseur was registered as a vendor on a Darknet marketplace where he advertised the sale of heroin to the general public under the username "BESTMAN365." On the Darknet marketplace, Ramseur accepted orders for heroin and received payments from customers in Bitcoin. Ramseur and his co-conspirators packaged and shipped heroin from Capitol Heights, Maryland, to customers throughout the United States.
Throughout the course of the investigation, law enforcement intercepted or received through the mail at least nine packages containing heroin.
On December 14, 2015, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at the residence of one of Ramseur's associates in Greenbelt, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement seized $13,000 in cash from a safe, which Ramseur admits was the proceeds of his heroin distribution.
The Darknet marketplace where Ramseur advertised the sale of heroin allowed customers to rate vendors. In 2015, investigators compared listings for heroin by BESTMAN365 with subsequent customer reviews. Based on that comparison and the length of the drug trafficking conspiracy, Ramseur admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable that Ramseur and his co-conspirators distributed between one kilogram and three kilograms of heroin through the Darknet marketplace.
This case was prosecuted utilizing resources from the Dark Market and Digital Currency Crimes (DMDCC) Task Force. The DMDCC Task Force is a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI – Baltimore, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department, targeting the use of dark net marketplaces and digital currencies to facilitate criminal activities. The past several years have witnessed a significant increase in the use of the internet (both the clear net and dark net) and digital currencies to facilitate, for example, the illegal sale and distribution of narcotics and firearms, computer technologies (including hacking tools), and Personal Identifiable Information (PII). In response to this rising threat, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI, and their partners formed the DMDCC Task Force to facilitate stronger collaboration among law enforcement partners combatting these crimes.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Acting United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the FBI, USPIS, and DEA for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake and Kristi N. O’Malley who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pittsburgh Physician Pleads Guilty to Drug Diversion and Health Care Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A physician pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of drug diversion and health care fraud, Acting United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman announced today.
Yee Chung Ho, age 72, of Murrysville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful dispensing and distributing Schedule II controlled substances and one count of health care fraud before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Dr. Ho is a licensed medical doctor who owns and operates a family medicine practice located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The court was further advised that, on several dates in May and June 2019, Dr. Ho knowingly dispensed and distributed Schedule II drugs, specifically, Oxycodone, outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. The court was further advised that from April 2018 through June 2019, Dr. Ho committed health care fraud by causing fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicare for payments to cover the costs of unlawfully prescribed drugs.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for February 4, 2022. The law provides for a maximum per count sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000.00, or both, for the controlled substances offenses. Dr. Ho faces an additional maximum per count sentence of 10 years and fine of $250,000.00 for the health care fraud charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Cessar and Karen Gal-Or and Special Assistant United States Attorney Edward Song are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case.
Pikeville Man Convicted of Wire Fraud and Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
PIKEVILLE, Ky.- A Pikeville man was convicted on Monday by a federal jury in Pikeville for wire fraud and health care fraud.
After two hours of deliberation, following a five-day trial, the jury convicted 36-year-old Eugene Sisco III of one count of wire fraud and one count of health care fraud.
According to the evidence at trial, Sisco operated several medication assisted treatment (“MAT”) clinics in Pike, Floyd, and Harlan Counties that offered treatment to patients suffering from opioid addiction. These clinics were enrolled as providers in the Kentucky Medicaid program, and under Kentucky law were required to bill that insurance program for MAT services rendered to Medicaid patients. The evidence demonstrated that Sisco deceived patients into paying $200-$300 per month in cash for treatment at his clinics, despite having Medicaid insurance, by falsely claiming his clinics were not eligible to bill Medicaid for the counseling services they provided. The evidence at trial showed that the cash payments from patients totaled around $5 million between May 2016 and October 2019. At the same time, Sisco caused his clinics to bill Medicaid for MAT services, receiving around $5 million in reimbursements from that program as well.
The jury also found that Sisco engaged in a health care fraud scheme, by causing his laboratory, Toxperts, LLC, to bill for medically unnecessary urine drug testing of samples collected from patients at his clinics. The physician witnesses at trial testified that they did not order this urine drug testing, and that some of it was done at Sisco’s direction for billing purposes, as opposed to any medical reason. Sisco is not a doctor or medical professional.
Sisco was indicted in November 2020.
Carlton S. Shier, IV, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Daniel Cameron, Attorney General of Kentucky; and Col. Phillip Burnett, Jr., Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, KSP, and the Office of the Attorney General, Office of Medicaid Fraud and Abuse. The United States was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey.
Sisco will appear for sentencing on March 8, 2022 at 11 a.m. He faces a maximum of 20 years for the wire fraud charge and 10 years maximum for the health care fraud. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing a sentence.
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Philadelphia Woman Convicted at Trial of Straw Purchasing Firearms in Bucks County for her BoyfriendRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Brihany Baker, 25, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted today at trial of illegally purchasing three semi-automatic firearms for her romantic partner.
In November 2020, the defendant was charged by Indictment with criminal conspiracy to knowingly make false statements to a federal firearms licensee, and making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee. The charges stem an investigation into straw purchasers of firearms at a gun dealer in Horsham, PA in June 2020. Investigators were conducting surveillance of that store when they observed the defendant and another individual, who was prohibited from purchasing firearms, enter the store. The investigators then proactively delayed any sale of firearms to the defendant and while obtaining video from inside the store, which showed the prohibited purchaser, who was also the defendant’s boyfriend, Donte Maxwell, place a $200 deposit on three semi-automatic firearms, handle the firearms, and take pictures of the firearms.
Then, in July 2020, the defendant returned to the store and purchased the three semi-automatic firearms, stating on a federal form 4473 that she was buying them for herself and not another person. The defendant subsequently confessed that she lied on the form and actually bought the firearms for her boyfriend. At the time of the purchase, Mr. Maxwell faced a felony charge and was prohibited from buying firearms.
“The purpose of our ‘All Hands On Deck’ initiative is, first and foremost, to prevent violent crime, which includes targeting for prosecution straw firearms purchasers,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “By charging crimes like straw purchasing of firearms, where firearms are purchased in order to turn them over to people who are prohibited from legally buying or possessing them, we can cut off the supply of illegal weapons at the source. Now, this defendant will face the consequences of her actions.”
“ATF is committed to keeping firearms out of the hands of individuals prohibited from legally possessing them,” said Matthew Varisco, Special Agent in charge of ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Straw purchasing is a serious offense in which ATF along with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to investigate and prosecute those responsible. This conviction ensures this defendant can no longer purchase firearms for others.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Miller.
Philadelphia Man Convicted for ’98 Palestra Murder Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Pandemic Relief Funds Shortly After Prison ReleaseRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA –Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Kyle McLemore, 44, of Philadelphia, PA, was arrested and charged by Indictment with one count of mail fraud and two counts of theft of public money. In February 1999, the defendant was convicted on state charges of murdering an individual and shooting three others on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus after a high school basketball game. As alleged in the Indictment, shortly after he was released on parole from prison last year after serving 21 years for the murder charges, the defendant fraudulently applied for and obtained emergency unemployment benefits and loan funds related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was signed into law. The CARES Act created the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which provides unemployment benefits to individuals not eligible for regular unemployment compensation or extended unemployment benefits, including individuals, families, and businesses affected by COVID-19. The CARES Act also created the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which provides low-rate emergency loan options for struggling businesses.
The Indictment alleges that McLemore took advantage of both programs, securing pandemic relief funds to which he was not entitled by filling out fraudulent applications. Specifically, in May 2020, less than a week after he was released from prison, the defendant is alleged to have submitted or caused another to submit a PUA application, falsely stating that he had lost his job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and claiming a last day of work that actually fell during a time when he was still incarcerated. According to the Indictment, the defendant subsequently submitted or caused another to submit weekly PUA certifications, falsely reporting that he was ready and able to accept a job if offered during a period when he was actually in prison and unable to accept employment. As a result of his fraudulent application and weekly certifications, the defendant obtained $14,555 in PUA benefits.
The Indictment further charges that in June 2020, the defendant submitted an EIDL program application to the Small Business Administration (SBA), providing false information about an alleged tobacco business that he claimed to own during a time when he was still in prison, and denying that he had been on probation or parole within the last five years. To verify his application, the defendant submitted a forged business license from the City of Philadelphia. As a result of his fraudulent EIDL application, the defendant received funds amounting to nearly $125,000 from the SBA, before the SBA reversed a large portion of the ill-gotten loan proceeds.
“The PUA and EIDL programs established under the CARES Act are intended to help struggling Americans and small businesses stay afloat during the pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Williams. “Fraudsters who try to steal these funds are taking advantage of others’ misfortune – ripping them off while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund the programs. My Office will do everything in its power to ensure that coronavirus fraud scams are stopped and punished.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic brought massive economic upheaval for so many,” said Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “Defrauding the federal government programs created to mitigate that harm is despicable. Every dollar diverted to a scammer is a dollar not available for legitimate applicants in need. The FBI is committed to identifying, investigating, and bringing to justice anyone who thinks stealing taxpayer funds is the way to an easy payday.”
If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $750,000 fine, restitution, and a $300 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lanni and Eileen Castilla Zelek.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Persons with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Oklahoma Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Firearms Parts Through Arkansas to MexicoRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy that resulted in the trafficking of firearms to Mexican cartels as part of “Operation Thor’s Hammer,” an effort to disrupt cartels’ access to firearms. Andrew Scott Pierson, 47, of Jay, Oklahoma, entered his guilty plea today before United States District Judge Brian S. Miller, who will sentence Pierson at a later date.
In May 2017, an Arkansas resident received a shipment of firearm components that had been sent to him for cerakoting, a process in which a polymer-ceramic coating is added to a firearm or its parts to improve durability. The parts were 80% Colt lower receivers, and this individual recognized these firearm parts as counterfeit. He contacted law enforcement. The counterfeit receivers were traced to an organization in Laredo, Texas, which was transporting firearm parts to Pierson in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Peirson assembled the parts into functioning automatic weapons for the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).
Pierson self-surrendered at the port of entry to United States authorities on December 10, 2018. Pierson admitted to ordering and receiving firearm parts from the United States and manufacturing automatic weapons in Mexico for the CDN and CJNG cartels. Law enforcement later confirmed cartel firearm availability was impaired following Pierson’s arrest.
On September 3, 2019, a federal grand jury indicted Pierson and seven others for their involvement conspiracies to traffic in counterfeit goods and to violate the Arms Export Control Act. Five codefendants have previously pleaded guilty, and one co-defendant remains a fugitive in Mexico. Today, Pierson pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Fourth Superseding Indictment, conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act.
“This case is the first successful prosecution in the country of the exportation and manufacturing of Mexican cartel firearms,” stated Acting United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross. “We are proud that this investigation made it more difficult for violent cartels to obtain firearms, and we intend to prosecute any case that will help keep guns out of the hands of these criminal organizations.”
“The cooperation among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and the government of Mexico is the foundation for combating cross-border firearms trafficking,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “ATF works relentlessly to keep guns out of the hands of drug trafficking organizations and their violent associates. Stemming the flow of illegal guns to Mexico remains a high priority for ATF.”
“This plea is another significant moment in an investigation highlighting the dangers facing our communities. With numerous accounts of atrocities attributed to cartels, it’s unconscionable to think someone would conspire to provide them weapons. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is proud to have worked with so many fellow law enforcement agencies in helping bring this case to fruition,” said Thomas Noyes, Inspector in Charge of the Fort Worth Division. “We will vigorously pursue those who misuse the U.S. Mail, and we thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas for their commitment in prosecuting these cases.”
Pierson’s crime is punishable by not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, and not more than three years supervised release. The case was investigated by ATF and USPIS with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anne Gardner.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
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